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Friday, November 30, 2012

Animal Therapy: Yea or 'Neigh'?

There seems to be an undeniable
relationship between humans and animals, especially when it comes to
innate, mutual trust. Animal therapy, especially equine therapy, used
to be regarded as a “hokey” or “crackpot” alternative method
of therapy used almost exclusively by the wealthy elite. However, the
positive effects of animal therapy or even the mere presence of
animals is hard to ignore.

My dog, Koby, can be difficult to get
along with. She's adorable, but she is unpredictable and can be
aggressive when strangers approach her. That's why my stepmom was
nervous when her friend, Nanette, came over with her
daughter, Taelor. Taelor had Prader-Willi syndrome, and my stepmom
didn't want Koby to scare or possibly harm her, so when Tae and
Nanette arrived, she grabbed Koby and started to lead her outside.

“You don't have to do that,”
Nanette said. The idea of having Koby in the room made my stepmom
anxious, but Nanette insisted. “Don't put her outside. Trust me.”

So Koby stayed in. What happened next
was astounding. Koby walked up to Tae and sniffed her curiously as
dogs will do. Tae fearlessly reached out and pet Koby with a calm
gentleness that suggested the two had been longtime friends. Koby
didn't growl, tense up, or raise her hair like she normally does upon
meeting new people. Somehow there was an automatic exchange of trust
between Tae and Koby, an understanding that each needed to be gentle
with the other.

I couldn't tell you how these two were
able to communicate so naturally with one another, but it seems that
this subconscious connection between people and animals and the
mutual benefits of these companionships are particularly strong
within the disabled community.

Horses are often used to help people
with physical disabilities like cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy
improve their posture, balance, and mobility. However, the healing
powers of horses, like those of other animals, go beyond the
physical. Animals can be great supporters because they are naturally
nonjudgemental. They don't care whether or not you can hit a baseball
the farthest or paint a picture that looks like a photograph. Animals
are extremely accepting creatures. As long as you are loving to them,
they will love you back no matter what.

Animals are also great teachers. They
can teach us how to be gentle, kind, and respectful, and how to care
for living things. Animals also teach us that we are needed and that
we are important. They are always happy to see us, and they let us
know that even on those days when we feel completely worthless, we
aren't. They teach us that we matter and that we are wanted and
loved.

One of my favorite parts about being
around animals is that they have this strange ability to take away
any anxiety, stress, or fear I may have been feeling. Sometimes, as
was the case with Tae and Koby, the animal's anxieties can be
alleviated, too. (Tae did a much better job at calming Koby down than
I ever could.) Studies have shown how effectively animals can make
people relax. They have a sort of magical effect on people that can
be very beneficial when trying to adjust to unfamiliar surroundings
or situations. Animals make us brave, and they love us for it!

Whether the scientific community says
there is enough evidence to support the effectiveness of animal
therapy or not, I say (in all of my scientific knowledge) yea to
animals and yea to people. What I have seen has been enough to make
me believe in the healing nature of the human-animal relationship.
And besides, who could deny an opportunity to play with soft, fluffy
animals?